LOCAL NEWS

Man Accused Of Deadly Hit & Run Pleads Not Guilty
A motorist accused of deliberately driving over a bicyclist, who was dragged more than 500 feet, pleaded not guilty today to murder and assault charges.

Former Helix High Teacher Sentenced For Sex With Student
A former Helix High School geography teacher and girls' soccer coach who had sex with a 17-year-old female student at a hotel was sentenced today to probation and 365 days in custody.

Sanders Blames Aguirre For Bad Legal Advice
Mayor Jerry Sanders blamed City Attorney Michael Aguirre today for a California Public Employment Relations Board ruling that put San Diego's voter-approved outsourcing program on hold.

Family's Lawyer Speaks About Deadly Harbor Shooting
A 37-year-old male dancer fatally shot by a San Diego Harbor Police officer after jumping from a boat was not under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs, and was killed in an unjustifiable shooting, an attorney representing the victim's family said today.

Border Patrol Struggles To Keep Newly Hired Agents
Law enforcement officers wanted: must work graveyard shifts alone in remote towns along the Mexican border, put in long hours and perform well in triple-digit temperatures.

Decapitated Bodies Found Near Tijuana
Three decapitated bodies were found in an empty lot just outside Tijuana.

Chula Vista Auto Parts Store Destroyed by Fire
Investigators are on the scene of a fire that destroyed a Kragen auto parts store in Chula Vista.

Southwest Airlines Drops Flights In San Diego
Southwest Airlines says it plans next year to drop six flights from San Diego's Lindbergh Field.

Electrical Fire Destroys El Cajon Home
An electrical problem is to blame for starting a houses fire in El Cajon.

Medical Examiner: Police Shot Actor in the Back
A medical examiner's report released Monday contradicts what police have said about the shooting death of a man who they rescued from San Diego Bay during a harbor cruise.

Two More Cases of West Nile in San Diego
Health officials in San Diego reported that two more people this year have been stricken by the West Nile virus.

Search and Rescue Team Looking for Volunteers
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is searching for volunteers for its search and rescue team.

Border Security Tight After Reports on Mexican Hit Men in U.S.
Local police and federal agents along the U.S.-Mexico border are tightening security after learning about a new threat from Mexican drug cartels.

SD Super Delegate Offers His Conventional Wisdom
Super delegate Congressman Bob Filner says he's just as excited as everyone else to be at the Democratic National Convention and be united in their pick for our next president. He says whatever division there may be in the party will be gone by the end of this week.

San Diegans In Denver As Delegates For Democrats
Many San Diegans are in Denver this week with a very important job - they are delegates for Barack Obama. News 8 had a chance to speak with two of them.

SDG&E Exec. Takes Stand In Marine Death Case
San Diego Gas & Electric followed Federal Aviation Administration guidelines in marking equipment that might be aviation hazards, the executive vice president of San Diego-based Sempra Energy testified today.

SDSU Fraternities, Sororities to Go Dry for 5 Weeks
Classes at San Diego State University do not start until Sept. 2, but fraternities and sororities will be banned from hosting events with alcohol for five weeks, beginning Monday.

Inmate Escapes from Donovan Correctional Facility
Prison officials said a 24-year-old man incarcerated for second-degree burglary at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility escaped over the weekend.

Gas Prices Continue to Fall in San Diego
Gas prices in San Diego and around the country continue to fall due to a drop in the price of crude oil.

Man Shot in Downtown Motel
Police reported that a 30-year-old man was hospitalized following a weekend shooting at a downtown motel, but his wound was not life-threatening.

Driver in Fatal Mira Mesa Hit-and-Run Surrenders
Authorities reported that a 22-year-old man has been arrested for a hit-and-run that killed a bicyclist in Mira Mesa.

Point Loma Woman Still Missing Despite Reward
Friends and family of a local mother who went missing are hoping an increased reward will encourage someone to come forward with information.

Fire Breaks Out in Golden Hills Apartment Complex
An investigation is underway into what caused an apartment fire in Golden Hill.

Friends, Family March for Justice in Barrio Logan Shooting
The family of a man shot to death in Barrio Logan is looking for justice.

Police Searching for Driver Who Hit Young Boy
San Diego police are searching for a hit-and-run driver who injured a young boy in Normal Heights Saturday.

SANDAG Says Drugs Getting Harder to Find and Buy
Authorities reported some progress in the war on illegal drugs, saying that methamphetamine is becoming more difficult to find and purchase.

Escondido Fire Under Investigation
An investigation is underway into what caused an early morning fire that destroyed a carpentry business in Escondido.

Man With Stab Wounds Found At Site Of Lakeside House Fire
A fire that may have been intentionally set by a suicidal resident tore through an East County home today, causing roughly $250,000 in damages, authorities reported.

Amber Alert for Palmdale Kids Abducted by Mother
A search was under way Friday for a 39-year-old woman and her two children, who she allegedly kidnapped from the Palmdale home of their grandparents -- the siblings' legal guardians.

Prices Slashed At "Fantasy" Designer Furniture Sale
Need new furniture, but it's not in your budget? Now you can buy top of the line home furniture and furnishings from model homes, all at drastically reduced prices.

Camp Pendleton Marines May Testify in War Crimes Case
Two Camp Pendleton Marines have been ordered to tell a judge if they will testify against a fellow Marine on trial for war crimes.

Still Time to Donate to Kids Backpack Drive
News 8 wants to thank our loyal viewers who made this year's Give Your Heart to Kids Backpack Flash Drive a huge success.

Elementary School Fire May Have Been Arson
A suspicious fire at a local elementary school may be the work of an arsonist, according to authorities.

Juvenile Pleads Not Guilty to Raping Woman in College-Area Home
A 17-year-old boy, who is accused of raping a woman at knifepoint in her College-area home just days after being released from Juvenile Hall, pleaded not guilty today to nine felony charges.

PETA Wants To Buy SeaWorld And Free Shamu
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wants to buy a SeaWorld park, possibly the one in San Diego, free the animals inside and replace them with virtual reality exhibits, it was reported today.

Immigration Agency Ends Self-deportation Program
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says it will scrap a program for illegal immigrants to turn themselves in for deportation after getting only eight volunteers during a nearly three-week trial.

Geologist Points Out Cliff Danger Zones
There are questions tonight about how vulnerable our seaside cliffs are, after the death of a tourist in a cliff collapse Wednesday.

Arson Blaze Ravages Lake Murray Home
A pr-edawn arson fire gutted a Lake Murray-area house today, causing nearly $850,000 worth of damage, authorities reported.

Probation For Man Who Shot Girlfriend's Sister
A man who accidentally killed his girlfriend's sister when he heard a disturbance in the home they all shared was sentenced today to credit for jail time served and ordered to speak to young people about the dangers of mixing alcohol and guns.

Tourist Killed In Deadly Cliff Collapse Identified
A tourist from Las Vegas who was killed when debris from a sea-bluff failure fell on him at Torrey Pines State Beach was identified today.

Baby Giraffe Born At San Diego Zoo
A group of San Diego Zoo visitors got to witness the birth of a 145-pound female Masai giraffe this week.

Opening Statements Today In War Crimes Trial Of Ex-Marine
Opening statements begin in Riverside Thursday in the trial of a former Camp Pendleton Marine accused of war crimes.

Homicide Detectives Search For Hit & Run Killer
Police are searching for a hit and run driver who ran over and dragged a bicyclist several hundred feet, killing him.